Togo’s Charles Ayetan has been elected as the new president of the African Catholic Union of the Press (UCAP) at the 2025 Congressional Conference that took place in Ghana earlier this month.

The seven-day event, themed ‘Catholic Journalists Urged to Balance Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Human Values’, was held from August 10-17, with over 100 Catholic journalists and media practitioners from more than 20 African countries in attendance.

The congress also featured the election of the new executive committee to steer the affairs of UCAP for a three-year term, from 2025 to 2028, with Mr Ayetan emerging as the new president of the union.

Frank Mugabi of Uganda was elected first vice president of the union, Aimé Rodrigue Dembélé emerged the second vice president while Mauritius’s Martine Marie Sylvina Lajoie secured the secretary-general’s seat.

Meanwhile, Franklin Anane Gyimah from Ghana was elected as the new treasurer of the union.

Speaking after his victory, Mr Ayetan said that Artificial Intelligence must be a tool to serve humanity, highlighting the potential of technology in innovation, agriculture, water management, and renewable energy across the continent.

 “Artificial Intelligence must serve humanity, not enslave it. As Catholic journalists, our task is to ensure technology uplifts truth, dignity, and peace,” Mr Ayetan said.